June 9, 2014 — Dane County
Graber Pond in Middleton.
Graber Pond in Middleton.
Carolina Saddlebags (Tramea carolina)
Photographed
We visited Graber Pond which is about 3/4 mile from where we had photographed a Carolina Saddlebags the day before. We found 2 reddish Saddlebags at Graber Pond that were perching and photographed them. Both were Carolina Saddlebags!! Photo 1 shows full black wing patch, extended black down the side of segment 8 of abdomen, small triangular pointy clear spot at the inner edge of wing patch, and the characteristic secondary genitalia of a Carolina Saddlebags. Photo 2 shows an individual that does not have extensive black on segment 8, nevertheless it has the full black wing patch, with small triangular-shaped clear area on the inner edge of the black patch on the hindwing. And note that the secondary genitalia identifies this as a Carolina Saddlebags. So between Edgar Spalding and ourselves, we have photographed 4-5 reddish Saddlebags and they have all been Carolina Saddlebags. And this species has only 7 counties with records! My conclusion was written in the Badger ButterFlyer newsletter of the Southern Wis Butterfly Assoc. "I believe we have had an amazing major influx of Carolina Saddlebags into southern Wisconsin!" Further observations by others seem to confirm this. Karl and Dorothy Legler. (2 photos)
Photographed
We visited Graber Pond which is about 3/4 mile from where we had photographed a Carolina Saddlebags the day before. We found 2 reddish Saddlebags at Graber Pond that were perching and photographed them. Both were Carolina Saddlebags!! Photo 1 shows full black wing patch, extended black down the side of segment 8 of abdomen, small triangular pointy clear spot at the inner edge of wing patch, and the characteristic secondary genitalia of a Carolina Saddlebags. Photo 2 shows an individual that does not have extensive black on segment 8, nevertheless it has the full black wing patch, with small triangular-shaped clear area on the inner edge of the black patch on the hindwing. And note that the secondary genitalia identifies this as a Carolina Saddlebags. So between Edgar Spalding and ourselves, we have photographed 4-5 reddish Saddlebags and they have all been Carolina Saddlebags. And this species has only 7 counties with records! My conclusion was written in the Badger ButterFlyer newsletter of the Southern Wis Butterfly Assoc. "I believe we have had an amazing major influx of Carolina Saddlebags into southern Wisconsin!" Further observations by others seem to confirm this. Karl and Dorothy Legler. (2 photos)